ATM Richmond fans are looking at the thinness of our midfield stocks with sober clarity.
There is no doubt in my mind that the football department, that the entire club noticed during 2021 and that there was a shift in recruiting focus in 2021.
The Matthew Clarke ND period from 2017 to 2020 was fruitless but for Noah Balta. (That was a good fruit.)
For now I want to have another look at pick 17 in the 2017 draft.
I like Higgins for his genius. But the profile he presented at draft time was nothing like a #17 pick. The first time we saw him at an intraclub he was miles behind a slow midget taken in the rookie draft. For athleticism, for decision making, for ball winning and for skill execution. For being a footballer.
To this day Liam Baker is a better footballer. And Liam Baker is facing huge challenges in 2022.
Jack Higgins does not profile as an AFL footballer. (And IMO should never have been recruited by the club.) He does not hit a single criterion - lacks BWA, terrible body/athlete, poor DMBIH save the odd miracle goal, poor execution.
The reason I'm drawing attention to this selection today is that a lot of our recruits in the 2017-20 period profiled poorly.
Most unlike the 2021 draft. The club has noticed and acted. 2021 was a very different year. Good profiles.